August 5, 2003

The rise of "globalspeak"

With the rise of people using electronic communication over old-fashioned letters and the way these technologies work, it results in people talking faster and with more slang, according to the BBC. "It wouldn't surprise me if, in 50 years, there was no longer a need for 'hello' and 'goodbye' in general or certainly in electronic communication," said Jonathon Green, a lexicographer and author of a dictionary of slang.

Hello is being replaced by Hey, G'day, Hola, Howdy and Yo. Goodbye with Laters, Ciao, Au revoir, Hasta la vista, In a while.

According to Tracy Blacher, MSN marketing director, who commisioned the study, "What is interesting is the speed that language is being modified by the adoption of new technology."